John L. Robinson on media, journalism and citizenship

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Sunday sampler

It’s always fun to be surprised by the interesting journalism on the front pages of the state’s newspapers. Today wasn’t bad.

Raleigh — The News & Observer gives us two stories, which isn’t that unusual for the N&O. One is on Faith Hedgepeth, the 19-year-old UNC-Chapel Hill student found dead in her apartment last month. It’s a write-through on her and the crime. Whenever a college student is killed, it’s a big story on campus. This is no different.

The second N&O story is about the decline in juvenile crime in the state.”The state is now locking up far fewer teens than it did a decade ago, finding treatment alternatives to its former system of training schools.” Of course, the laws that addressed this were passed 15 years ago, when the state legislature worked together to solve problems.

Winston-Salem — The Journal revisits the gay marriage debate by focusing on a gay couple — married in Vermont — that wants to keep its marriage intact. One partner is awaiting a green card so that he can remain in the United States. A Supreme Court ruling could resolve the issue.

Gastonia — The Gazette focuses on the bureaucratic nightmare that is apparently the Gaston County DSS when it comes to foster children. It is powerful stuff. “The Buchanans are highly regarded foster parents who began fostering a newborn child through DSS in November 2010. They were on a path to adoption when the 21-month-old was suddenly taken from them and placed in a different foster home with no valid explanation Aug. 31….During ensuing discussions, it was revealed that the child had been removed from the Buchanans’ home in part because they are white, and the child is biracial. After Aug. 31, the child was moved to the home of a biracial foster couple, according to the Gaston County official.”